Native Plants

Kitsap Conservation District

Native Plants for Kitsap County

by dave peters, kitsap county recycling coordinator

If you want a low maintenance landscape that can provide year round beauty, consider adding some native plants to your garden! Native plants are well adapted to Kitsap County ’s summer droughts and winter rains. Use this list to pick the right native plants for the type of soil, moisture conditions and amount of sunlight in your planting area. Native plants will thrive with no fertilizer, little extra water once established, and no pesticides. Many native plants listed here provide wildlife food and habitat. Many local garden centers carry native plants or can order them for you. The Kitsap Conservation District has a plant sale each spring featuring low cost native species. Also, check the sources listed and the end of this fact sheet for mail order or regional suppliers.

Common Name	Scientific Name	Site Conditions	Comments
GROUNDCOVERS
Bunchberry	Cornus canadensis	Deep shade. Damp acid soil.	Miniature dogwood flowers. Red berries. Deciduous.
Coastal strawberry	Fragaria chiloensis	Sun to part shade. Beaches.	6-12” tall. Evergreen. Compact mats. Large white flowers.
Fringecup	Tellima grandiflora	Partial shade. Moist soil.	15-30” tall. Delightful, pale cream flowers. Spreads easily.
Kinnikinnick	Arctostaphylos uva-ursi	Sun. Sterile, dry soils.	Good on hillsides. Spreads to 12’. Evergreen. Red berries.
Broadleaf stonecrop	Sedum spathulofolium	Sunny rock gardens.	Numerous tight rosettes of yellow flowers. Grows fast.
Oregon grape, low	Berberis (Mahonia) nervosa	Partial shade. Moist, well drained soil.	2’ tall. Holly-like leaves. Yellow flowers. Blue clusters of berries. Evergreen. Flowers attract butterflies.
Sorrel, redwood	Oxalis oregana	Shade. Moist soil.	2-8” tall. Perennial. Clover-like leaves. Pink flowers.
Trailing blackberry	Rubus ursinus	Sun. Dry, disturbed sites.	Only native blackberry. Trailing plant to 20’ long. Seedy berry.
Twinflower	Linnaea borealis	Deep - partial shade. Forest setting. Well drained soil.	2” tall. Evergreen. Fragrant, pink-white flowers. Rapid but non-aggressive spreading by runners. Can form mats.
Wild ginger	Asarum caudatum	Deep shade. Moist soil with high organic content.	Pretty, heart-shaped leaves. Develops colonies by spreading rhizomes. Reddish-brown flowers concealed by leaves.

DECIDUOUS TREES
Ash, Oregon	Fraxinus latifolia	Full sun to partial shade. Moist or ponded soils.	40-80’ tall. Compound leaves turn yellow in fall. Flowers are greenish and in dense clusters. Bark with thick, furrows.
Alder, red	Alnus rubra	Sun. Poor, moist soil.	Quick growing to 75 feet. Birch-like gray white bark.
Cascara	Rhamnus purshiana	Partial shade. Moist, well-drained soil.	Grows up to 35’. Dark green, glossy leaves. Small, green- white flowers in loose clusters. Cherry-like fruit, liked by birds.
Cottonwood , black	Populus trichocarpa	Sun. Moist to wet soil.	Rapid growth to 180’. Leaf buds emit a balsamic odor.
Crabapple, pacific	Malus (Pyrus) fusca	Sun. Moist to wet soil.	40’ tall. White, clustered flowers. Fruit 1/2", liked by birds.
Cherry, bitter	Prunus emarginata	Full sun to partial shade. Dry to moist sites.	20-50’ tall. Small, white to pinkish, flat-topped flower clusters. Small bright-red cherries. Bright yellow fall leaves.
Dogwood, Pacific	Cornus nuttallii	Partial shade. Moist, well drained soil.	20-30’ tall. Gleaming white flowers on bare branches in early spring. Nice yellow- red fall color. Clusters of plum-like fruits.
Common Name	Scientific Name	Site Conditions	Comments
DECIDUOUS TREES
Dogwood, red-osier	Cornus sericea (stolonifera)	Shady stream banks. Moist, well drained soil.	15’ tall. Crimson fall color. Reddish twigs. Greenish-white flowers. Bluish-white berries. Tolerates seasonal flooding.
Hawthorn, black	Crataegus douglasii	Sun to partial shade. Well drained, sand/gravel soil.	20-30’ tall. Small white flowers in clusters. Black berries. New twigs often reddish in early summer. Forms thickets.
Hazelnut, western	Corylus cornuta	Part shade to sun. Well-drained soil. Understory.	20’ tall. Clumps form attractive fountains of vegetation. Birds, squirrels eat nuts. Catkins appear before the leaves in spring.
Madrone, pacific	Arbutus menziesii	Full sun. Well drained, poor, dry or rocky soil.	30-50’ tall. Elegant tree with smooth, reddish-brown bark that peels in thin flakes. Berries good for birds. Evergreen.
Maple, big-leaf	Acer macrophyllum	Full sun to partial shade. Moist, well drained soils.	100’ tall, spreading to 50’. Leaves to a foot in diameter. Yellow fall color. Creamy yellow flowers, emerging before leaves.
Maple, vine	Acer circinatum	Partial shade. Moist soil.	10-15’ tall. Brilliant red and orange fall colors. Nice form.
Mountain ash, Sitka	Sorbus sitchersis	Sun. Moist, rich soil.	10’ tall. Multi-stemmed small shrub. Creamy white flowers. Orange red berry-like fruit, very attractive to birds.
Oak, Oregon white	Quercus garryana	Sun. Dry to moist, welldrained, gravelly soils.	Slow growing to 75’. Can live 500 years. Noble tree with white and deeply furrowed bark, elegant branching pattern.
Serviceberry	Amelanchier alnifolia	Sun. Well drained soil. Very drought tolerant.	10’ tall. Pure white flowers in 2" clusters. Brilliant red and yellow leaves in the fall. ½” diameter, purple fruit in fall.
Willow , pacific	Salix lasiandra	Sun. Moist, sand/gravelly soil. Tolerates flooding.	50’ tall. One or a few main trunks. Catkins on female trees mature into light reddish-brown capsules, about ¼” long.
Willow , Scouler’s	Salix scouleriana	Sun. Moist, sand/gravel soil.	30’ tall. Hardy, rapid growing shrub. A fine “pussy willow.”
CONIFERS
Cedar, western red	Thuja plicata	Deep shade to sun. Moist to swampy soil.	Fast growing to 180’. Buttressed truck 3-10’ diameter. Fragrant wood and foliage. Branches to ground. Small cones.
Fir, Douglas	Pseudotsuga menziesii	Sun. Well drained soil. Best in moist, sandy loam.	100-250’ tall. Due to fast growth should not be planted near buildings. Dark green foliage, 4" cones.
Fir, grand	Abies grandis	Sun to partial shade. Deep, well drained, alluvial soils.	200’ tall. 4” cylindrical cones held upright on upper branches. Dark green to bright green glossy needles. Hardy.
Hemlock Western	Tsuga heterophyla	Deep shade, wet soil.	200’ tall. Small cones, horizontal branches with droopy tips.
Pine, shore	Pinus contorta	Full sun. Well drained soil.	Usually small tree, could reach 50’. Perfect for smaller gardens.
Spruce, Sitka	Picea sitchensis	Full sun to partial shade. Moist or saturated soils.	250’ tall. Gray, scaly bark; fairly straight branches raised sharply upward. Stiff, sharp-pointed green needles, 4” cones.
Yew, pacific	Taxus brevifolia	Shade. Moist, well drained soil. Understory tree.	10-25’ tall. Delightful ornamental. Bark flakes long red scales to reveal a smooth, red to purplish inner bark. Red berries.

Common Name	Scientific Name	Site Conditions	Comments
DECIDUOUS SHRUBS
Elderberry, Blue	Sambucus cerulea	Sun. Well drained soil.	12-20’ tall. White flowers. Clusters of blue-black berries.
Elderberry, Red	Sambucus racemosa	Sun - part shade. Moist soil.	5-8’ tall. White clustered flowers. Bright red berries.
Huckleberry, red	Vaccinium parvifolium	Shade. Rotted logs and soil.	4-10’ tall. Bright green twigs and leaves. Salmon-egg red fruit.
Indian plum	Oemleria cerasiformis	Part shade is best. Well drained, moist to dry soil.	5 –16’ tall. Greenish-white flower clusters appear before leaves in Feb.- early March. Orange to purple fruit.
Mock orange	Philadelphus lewisii	Full sun to partial shade. Well drained soil.	5-10’ tall. Multiple-stemmed, loosely branched. Highly prized ornamental. Showy, fragrant blooms. Deer browse. Hardy
Nootka rose	Rosa nutkana	Sun. Moist soil.	3-6’ tall. Large, fragrant pink flowers. Lg. bright orange hips.
Oregon grape, tall	Berberis (Mahonia) aquifolium	Partial shade. Well drained soil.	5’ tall. Holly-like leaves. Yellow flower. Blue, grape-like clusters of berries. New growth is copper color in the spring.
Ocean spray	Holodiscus discolor	Full sun to partial shade. Well drained, dry soil.	15’ tall. Cascading clusters of creamy white flowers. Quick growing. Nectar source for butterflies. Birds eat seeds.
Pacific ninebark	Physocarpus capitatus	Sun. Moist soil.	6-12’ tall. Peeling bark shows layers. White flower clusters.
Red-flowering currant	Ribes sanguineum	Sun to partial shade. Well drained dry to moist soil.	8-10’ tall. Gorgeous tubular clusters of 10-20 drooping deep-red flowers. Black fruit with white bloom. Fast growing.
Salmonberry	Rubus spectabilis	Sun - full shade. Moist soil.	3-10’ tall. Big reddish purple flowers. Yellow, edible berries.
Snowberry	Symphoricarpos albus	Sun or part shade. Moist to dry, well drained soil.	2-6’ tall. Pink-white bell-shaped flowers in short dense clusters. Large white berries. Fast growing. Forms thickets.
Spirea, Douglas	Spirea douglasii	Sunny wetlands, lake edge.	4-7’ tall. Beautiful pink- purple flower plumes in July.
Thimbleberry	Rubus parviflora	Sun to partial shade. Moist but not saturated soil.	4-6’ tall. Tart red edible berries. Large, downy maple-like leaves. Forms dense thickets. Quick growing. No prickles.
Twinberry, black	Lonicera involucrata	Partial shade. Moist soils.	2- 7’ tall. Twin yellow flowers, black berries. Fast growing.

DECIDUOUS VINE
Orange honeysuckle	Lonicera ciliosa	Sun. Well drained soils.	10-20’tall. Orange flowers and berries. Hummingbirds visit.
EVERGREEN SHRUBS
Huckleberry, evergreen	Vaccinium ovatum	Sun to shade. Well drained, moist to slightly dry soil.	3’ tall and compact in full sun. 15’ tall and spindly in deep shade. White flowers in August. Blue berries, good for pies.
Manzanita, hairy	Arctostaphylos columbiana	Sun. South/west exposure. Loose sandy/rocky, dry soil.	6-10’tall. Delightful clusters of white-light pink flowers. Reddish brown bark. One of the best ornamental natives.
Rhododendron, pacific	Rhododendron macrophyllum	Part shade to sun. Moist, well drained acidic soil.	3-15’ tall. Compact, dense in open, leggy in shade. Floral display rivals hybrid rhododendrons. Grows under conifers.
Salal